(1) Black Cat Bones was a British heavy blues rock group from London. Forced to cancel or postpone extensive touring plans before she could return with socially distanced shows, the inspirational Samatha Fish adapted, playing weekly Facebook live performances from home for fans. Rhode Island isnt typically thought of a hotbed of the blues, but the strong presence of Roomful of Blues, a revival jazz/blues band plants a giant feather in the cap of Americas tiniest state. Copelands latest release is a breathtaking journey through the past of Black America, beginning with the horror show of slavery and ending with the current days unending chaos. When two time-tested veterans of the blues world combine forces, the results are often explosive, brilliant and reliably enjoyable. But What the Hell a challenge to current political/social polarization may be the albums standout track. Another home run Martine! Huge mistake to suggest including an album we did not review. Romance in the Dark is as erotic and romantic as its title suggests while also containing a slice of bitterness. Wille and The Bandits The Allman Betts Band website, Former lead guitarist for The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Kirk Fletcher is widely considered one of the best blues guitarists in the world. Overall, its pretty clear that Savoy Brown aint done yet. Put it this way, its not easy to listen to King Size Slim without breaking into an unconscious head bob or foot tap at the very least. Honest, authentic blues with Fletchers inimitable stamp, he and the band of superb musicians (Travis Carlton, Jeff Babko, Lemar Carter, David Kida, Joe Sublett, and Mark Pender) the songwriting is some of Fletchers best and all groove-based in their own way. JOHN PRIMER & BOB CORRITORE -THE GYPSY WOMAN TOLD ME, VICTOR WAINRIGHT AND THE TRAIN - MEMPHIS LOUD, ELVIN BISHOP & CHARLIE MUSSELWHITE 100 YEARS OF THE BLUES, JOHNSON JEREMIAH - UNEMPLOYED HIGHLY ANNOYED. As a vibrant collection of songs, All My Dues are Paid continues to fuel it even beyond the singers passing of roughly five months ago. But he took up residence in London over 20 years ago and has since become far more than an honorary member of the British scene having played everything from the most iconic clubs, to muddiest festival fields, and even hosted his Soho Radio show. 'Girls with Guitars' -The 2011 Ruf Records Blues Caravan Tour - presents three of the scene's hottest young female guitar. Led by the illustrious Kim Simmonds on vocals, guitar and harmonica, Savoy Brown began in London 55 years ago and now based in New York. Its refreshing to see these instruments sprung from the confines of folk music and given some rock n roll treatment. But then again, Stronger Than Strong isnt just an exercise in navel-gazing and indeed, the upbeat love ballad I Can See Your Light Shine offers the best illustration of the blues at its happiest. } Picking standout tracks is tricky. The result is a searing collection of tunes that each carve their way into the listeners soul in a dazzlingly different way. Happy New year 2021 to Blues and Rock.. Long live the blues and all these new and veterans musicians. Savoy Brown Website, Contemporary bluesman, guitarist, singer-songwriter Bernard Allison released Songs From The Road on Ruf Records. The full-voiced tenor has created an album that has its share of weaker moments, but on balance, Take Me Back is a strong work and fine introduction to the fan whod never before experienced his output. The owner of this site is using Wordfence to manage access to their site. Ranking the best artists, groups, and songs of the musical form first hummed, hollered, and chanted by African Americans in the Deep South and the many subgenres that have sprouted from its roots into juke joints and playlists around the world. From seasoned veterans to young breakthrough artists whove used social media to put themselves in front of an audience of millions, to those doing it the old fashioned way in pubs and clubs up and down the country, heres (in no particular order) our list of 15 Great British blues artists to check out right now. All the top british blues bands named on the list also have discographies on their pages if you click on the british blues band names themselves. Song Starter Kit: The Razors Edge from No More Worlds to Conquer, United State of Mind from United State of Mind, Tide Of Confusion from Coming Closer To The Day. A truly memorable effort. Having spent most of his career as an R&B songwriter (The Ann Peebles hit I cant stand the Rain is his best known song) the 78-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee has also dabbled in releasing vocal albums. One of my favorites from this year was One of Those Days by Louisanas LeRoux because it was an album that blues fans and jam band fans could enjoy together. Blues With Friends boasts 12 tracks of strong songwriting, musical depth and mastery, along with Dions smooth vocals and skillful craft of blues. Review of Maverick ); To anyone concerned with the current state of the blues, Whitney Shays latest release Stand Up could have been delivered with you in mind. Walter Trout website, Guitar Superman Joe Bonamassa pays tribute to his British blues/rock heroes Jeff Beck, John Mayall and The Bluesbreakers, Eric Clapton, Led Zeppelin, and Cream on his epically cool record Royal Tea. Anyone searching for the singers best work should remain in the realm of mainstream pop. With an underpinning of traditional blues and classic rock, their album We Fly Free boasts a genuine, gritty sound with a vintage vibe. Genre: Chicago blues, Electric blues & Blues; Nationality: United States of America. The sheer energy between Primer and Corrimore are enough to create magic. She'll be putting that back into action with live dates in her homeland next year . All of them deserve to be heard. Song Starter Kit: Dead Horses from Death Valley Paradise, Hail Mary from The Divine and The Dirty, Ignite (Light It Up) from Light it Up. The set comes across as a tribute to and a step forward from some of the most important rock music to ever hit a microphone and proves that new, meaningful guitar music is still being made. The man sounds every year his age and his latest effort works precisely for this reason. Captured live at a packed music club in Germany, this live set is a raw and real set of blues mixed with rock, R&B, jazz and funk from Allisons collection since he began his solo career in the 1990s. Especially since the bands at the top of the list will at the very least be the best choices if you're looking for a list of good british blues bands with which to start out. Son of Dave, or Benjamin Darvill as his mother named him, in fact hails from Winnipeg, Canada. Foster soars above her own lofty standards with the big band behind her and showcases the finest female voice in todays roots music scene. Sometimes, having friends in the right places helps a great deal. This list of the top british blues bands in the world includes all musicians who have released recordings that have gotten distribution, and is an up-to-date list. He spent many years backing up classic rock legend Alan Parsons but Greenes time to shine on his own has most definitely arrived. But somehow Zitos blues make us feel better. British Americana might sound like a bit of a contradiction in terms, but its not a bad way to sum up the sound of Bristols Elles Bailey. Songs From The Road shows exactly why certain performances are meant to be captured live and in the moment. Despite the pandemic, 2020 brought so many outstanding blues, rock and roots albums. Greene has all the guitar, vocal, and songwriting power anybody could ask for and will no doubt reach the heights of stardom we all dream of. A British blues/rock duo and husband and wife, When Rivers Meet have the kind of frenetic sound that the blues needs. Brox possesses and commands a vast vocal range and is also a highly accomplished flautist which works surprisingly well in a bluesy context. All rights reserved. Songs from the Road will make a believer of you. Hope these guys continue their stellar start to their career. Quarantine blues is about a good world feeling bad. Review of Royal Tea As its title suggests, its a blues album that features a number of stunning cameo performances from noted stars of the blues world. All My Dues are Paid is a truly special album. A stunning solo debut. Elvin Bishop website His self-titled debut arrived last year but Kingfish has kept the momentum running with new singles; Rock & Roll's tribute to the mother he lost last year not just highly emotive, but also hinting a real crossover potential for him as an artist. Greg, His lyrical themes are invariably down to earth, while his guitar playing is absolutely otherworldly. Standouts include the plaintive Cant Start Over Again (with Jeff Beck) and What if I Told You (with Samantha Fish). Nearing his 80th birthday, Smithers voice shows wear, but this isnt a bad thing. Combining hip-hop with the blues is something a fair number of artists have dabbled in over the years, but G Love and his band Special Sauce, have made it a career for over two decades. You make it easier to keep track of all the new music by established and new artists. If you think you have been blocked in error, contact the owner of this site for assistance. If you enjoy our site, you can help with a small donation. More likely, youll be walking down the street, headphones in, and only become alerted to the fact your gaits developed an unusual slink because people have started staring at you. This R&B nine piece band won the Best Live Band at the San Diego Music Awards in 2020. Huge mistake to spell his name wrong..Shepherd. Another touching example is Black Lives Matter.. Apple Pie and a .45 is the most riveting track, detailing the nightmarish recent tale of a madman who opened fire on a black church. It also doesnt hurt that the bands leader (also its singer and chief songwriter) has the shredding skills that guitarists of all ages would understandably envy. It was a tough year for blues its players win hearts and minds the old way, on the stage. Trying to categorize it would be a waste of time. } One cursory listen might lead you into thinking their sound is Southern rockthey are much more than that. Great list! He's appeared and recorded with major artists including B.B. We know that the fans have been and are keeping the music we love alive and that theyll be there ready to jam when the pandemic has been contained and we can gather safely again. Song Starter Kit: Roll With the Punches from Roll With the Punches, Mojo Fix from Mojo Fix, Blues At My Window from Money Dont Matter. The Music is the only one thing that support all of us in these mad times! Lincolnshires Jack Broadbent honed his craft by playing at open mic nights and busking on city streets. Ruthie Foster website, Blues/rock ruler Tinsley Ellis continues his run as one of the most memorable guitarists and vocalists in the game on his new album Ice Cream In Hell on Alligator Records. Martin Harley All Rights Reserved, Best of British: 15 UK Blues Artists to Check Out Today. This is very much the case with Elvin Bishop and Charlie Musselwhites deeply satisfying 100 Years of the Blues. All told, Royal Tea, is exactly what a fan of Bonamassa has come to expect. Dont miss the passages where Grace plays slide mandolin. Here are the blues players you choose as 2020's standouts. Charlie Musselwhite website, Alastair Greenes 2020 effort The New World Blues on Tab Benoits Whiskey Bayou Records is a stripped-down blast of live-in-the-studio blues/rock built on grit, soul, and first takes. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); (function() { As euphoric and full of joy as its title would imply, Iguanas Chicago Spectacular! When life gives you lemons, as they say, Song Starter Kit: Cheats and Liars from Shining in the Half Light, Medicine Man Acoustic from Medicine Man Acoustic, Whats the Matter With You from Road I Call Home. We'll put money on next year being an even bigger one. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { Joe Bonamassa website, Grammy nominated roots/rock duo Larkin Poe released Self Made Man on their Tricki Woo Records and it rocks with powerful vocals, guitar and lap steel riffs, and a roaring rhythm section. This isnt something for a listener seeking a lightweight piece of pop fluff. More surprisingly, the rest of the album sways just as sweetly and gallops just as hard. [38] I cant believe that you left off The Heavy North; an absolutely fantastic British band with a retro sound. Take me Back does just that. Youre Gonna Need Me may be both the albums funniest and saddest track. This list answers the questions "who are the best british blues bands of all time?" Great guitar blues with exemplary craft. A portrait of Peter Green, guitarist and co-founder of rock band Fleetwood Mac, c. 1968. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Eric Clapton. Altogether, it was a year of glorious surprises and traditions that havent outgrown their welcome and never will. After all, what could be more heartbreaking than a man facing the demise of his car. Born in Michigan in 1946, Lavettes vocal stylings owe as much to mainstream R&B that the blues, but her sweet, silky voice belongs as much in this genre as her harder-edged sisters. Ordinary Madness may well be five-decade blues/rock survivor Walter Trouts finest recorded hour. List includes The Yardbirds, Eric Burdon & the Animals, more. It seems to work every time, it rarely works better than it does here. From the youngest member of the list onto, shall we say, the most experienced. The (Male) Singer You Most Wish You Could Sound Like. Tickets will be on sale in the near future at UKBlues Federation. 40 years in the blues business have only made Ellis better and more eloquent, which rocks because he obviously still has a lot to say. If the title track doesnt send shivers up your spine, its time to have your spine examined. My Blues Pathway is a celebration of the blues and blues masters. Thanks to frontman Wille Edwards sterling electrified Weissenborn playing and gritty vocals, however, the overall sound always returns to feel good blues rock. It will inspire you to live a more full life. Here are the blues players you choose as 2020's standouts. Rock and Blues Muse, LLC. Since then, his YouTube channel has amassed millions of views, hes shared The Royal Albert Halls stage with Joe Bonamassa and been invited to join the Gibson Alliance a select group of musicians chosen to help shape the future of Gibson Guitars. Elles Bailey Its seems like only yesterday that Shemekia Copeland was hailed as a prodigy of the blues, an incipient star in a genre often neglected by those of her generation. The albums closer, Rock and Roll for the soul is just that. Remembering Fleetwood Mac Founder Peter Green, The Soulful Voice Of British Blues. Great list well done When Rivers Meet and everyone else. A recent inductee into the Blues Hall of Fame, Bettye Lavettes name may not be as familiar to some as other greats, but make no mistake, this blueswoman is deserving of the highest praise available. Megan and Rebecca Lovell on the endless possibilities of slide guitar and playing 21st-century blues. Give him 20 more years and he might pick up the accent, too. Many people consider King King to be the strongest blues/rock band out there these days and Maverick proves the band is worthy of such profound praise. If you are a WordPress user with administrative privileges on this site, please enter your email address in the box below and click "Send". The set is a back porch session by two of the most famous blues players ever and lets Bishop and Musselwhite do it their own raw-boned way with minimal interference to disrupt the vibe. Nice list. When Rivers Meet website, Expanding on Marcus Kings Southern soul, rock and blues sound, El Dorado is Kings first solo album, produced by Black Keyes guitarist Dan Auerbach, out on Fantasy Records. Joe is always high in this list every year he's the biggest blues guitarist in the world, but also the hardest working. Vote for the best artists to see them graduate to the top of the list. British blues artists list, with photos, ranked best to worst by votes. The 2020 FORM UKBlues Awards virtual presentation event took place on Sunday 17th May 2020 - and if you missed it or want to enjoy it again we have the link at the bottom of this page. A member of the same post-war generation that spawned the likes of Clapton, Beck and Page, Trowers ability to dream-up and release new material has never really waned over the years, and if anything its accelerated in recent times. A listen to You Make Me Feel must provoke the listener to ask why he hasnt released more. The Album sizzles most when it charges at full-speed, keeping up with rock and soul, but never leaving the blues behind. St. Louis Mike Zitos Quarantine Blues is that album and has a power that will outlast even the stubborn Coronavirus. For your listening convenience, weve also compiled a playlist with every song mentioned in this article, which you can listen to HERE. If 2020 will be forever remembered as the year of a deadly pandemic, it can also be thought of as a year that demonstrated the undying spirit of the blues. Joanne Shaw Taylor The Greatest Entertainers Of All Time. All the while Fish retains the blues' storytelling power, rooting her sound in the blues tradition while imagining it anew. They are raw, unpolished and ragged. We did and love John Nemeths album. Pulling in musicians from all over the world, this record features blues/rock, R&B, and Soul. #705 of 880. Kingfish is a player who inspires while simultaneously makes us want to give up the Clarksdale-born sensation is just on that higher blues plain that few can ever ascend to. The hard-hitting Lookout man best demonstrates how heavily the guitar hero can rock while still remaining true to the blues world. The next time you lament the death of the blues due to the neglect from younger generations, just give a quick listen to Memphis Loud by Victor Wainright and the Train and rejoice. Tinsley Ellis website, Released on KTBA Records (Joe Bonamassas record label) Blues with Friends by Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Dion, features blues/roots contemporary artists Jeff Beck, Billy Gibbons, Joe Bonamassa, Samantha Fish John Hammond Jr., Sonny Landreth Jerry and Jimmy Vivino, Joe Louis Walker, Brian Setzer, Stevie Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen, and more. And in case youre wondering, Johnny Iguana is the right pianist. Love and Sympathy follows in a similar vein, urging the listener to keep love alive in times of turmoil and distress. })(); 2023. One of the few successful bands also headlined by a famous actor, i.e. event : evt, Their two core members are the Leto brothers Jared and Shannon, though they've had many personnel changes. Song Starter Kit: Bluesdaddy from Bluesdaddy, Never Rains from Hooks & Lines, Last Page from Something Old, Something New. His guitar playing is both tasteful and energetic and he possesses a particularly wild vibrato, no doubt modelled on that of his hero, BB King. In terms of song quality, We Fly Free is uneven. Climax Chicago Blues Band. Christine Perfect (McVie) Keef Hartley. The most obvious example of a timely song is Blues for George Floyd. With a self-explanatory title, it pays gentle homage to a fallen citizen and victim of ignorance who has, for deeply sad reasons, been very much in the news of late. Among the albums best tracks are the Howling Wolf cover Smokestack Lightening and the surprisingly sensitive Honey Bee, Sail on. For the Bobby Rush fan Rawer than Raw is essential. Lets just hope some younger fans can give My Blues Pathway a listen and learn the same lesson from him. 2021 saw Lee release his first full-length album and his vocal capabilities, although perhaps not as developed as his playing, stand him in good stead for a long career ahead as a killer frontman. The best rock guitarists in the world right now, as voted by you. British-Jamaican singer/songwriter Celeste won this year's prestigious BBC Sound of 2020 prize for her satiny soul pipes and refined instrumentals perfect for a rainy Sunday. In fact it stays on its feet all the way through. And he's there at only 21 years of age. Its may take me all year to sample and listen to your recommendations! Review of Aint Done Yet If available, you can also see information about where all british blues bands on this list got started. Another of the albums standouts include Rocking in Louisiana. Fueled by a swamp-rock attack that Creedence Clearwater Revival would envoy, the track reminds us (as CCR did) that a true fondness for Louisiana blues can live in the hearts of those born and raised elsewhere. And its hard to think of a more powerful opener than Bobby Rushs Shake it for Me. Nearing his 90th birthday, the Louisiana-natives voice and guitar have never sounded bolder and more vibrant. Good Times, as its title would suggest, pines for days gone by with a wistful, gentle breeze of a sound. Mindi Abair & the Boneshakers (blues, blues-rock, R&B, funk, jazz) Saxophonist, singer-songwriter Video Website Josh Smith (blues, blues-rock, rock, funk, jazz) Guitarist, singer-songwriter, producer. Described by its creator as a straight vintage-style blues album. Blues Bash is just that. What more could you want from a blues album? This is double-strength blues/rock that will cure what ails you. 109 listeners. Ive had the pleasure of listening to 8 of these albums. Far from being put on or a stylised affectation, her husky tones can be attributed in part, at least to when she contracted a serious bout of pneumonia in her childhood, resulting in her having to breathe through a tube for 17 days. Nothing complicated here, just good old fashioned blues you can shuffle to. Perhaps his most endearing quality for his fans is his resistance to change. It features a good man feeling bad and sharing his anguish through both vocals and his harmonica. For all his obvious skill as a songwriter, his resonant tenor rattles the soul just as much. Review of Live At The Paramount Dom Martin Everybody knows the name . Cameos from time-tested veterans of the blues make the album shimmer most and the relentlessly upbeat Birmingham (featuring Robert Randolph and Keb Mo) may be the best example. Perhaps you didnt review John Nemeths new Stronger Than Strong album. If they're near the top of the best british blues artist list, though, then they should have at least some information available. Dions latest venture, Blues with Friends, features yet another change in direction. My favorite on the list was Bless Your Heart. Adept at acoustic and electric styles, he imparts a natural, unlaboured charm to his guitar playing, and hes been blessed with an innate gift for storytelling that allows him to side-step lyrical cliches at every turn. Having said all that, Dions friends do a more than capable job of compensating for the weaknesses of the the albums star. But the musicians who stood out for you still found a way to reach people in the pandemic with standout albums and performances. The clever Phone Zombies is as brilliant and funny as the blues can get, while also commenting on the contemporary world in a way that few blues song do. Through All My Dues are Paid we learn of Beys humble and hurtful beginnings as a poor and black young man raised in the Jim Crow south. For the non-fan, it is also essential and a likely tool for conversion! Another phenomenal young playing and vocal talent that assures us guitar is in great hands. Just listen and let his sound wash over you. I purposely left off widely celebrated names such as Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, John Mayall, and more. Theres so much energy and life to Bernard Allison and his crew of A-list band of musicians on this album that highlights some of his best cuts from several of his albums. We tried very hard to narrow our list down to Top 20 but we could not bring ourselves to cut one more album. Black Top Run combines vocal and instrumental cuts to great effect and paints a clear picture of Landreths monumental talent and keen instincts. As admirable as Dions efforts are, his vocals, while pleasant, lack the sheer power needed to give these songs the sheer grit they deserve. Not that sheer technical mastery is the only tool in his shed. Review of The New World Blues Sonny Landreth website, The Allman Betts Band keeps the family flame burning brightly on 2020s Bless Your Heart on BMG Records. Platypus Dipster may be the albums best track and the strangest. The list is of 2020 albums we have reviewed. } Led by vocalist/guitarist Robert Jon Burrison, whose voice is one of the most ear-pleasing today, the band includes Andrew Espantman, Steve Maggoria, Henry James and Warren Murrel. Kirk Fletcher website, Powerhouse, soulful vocalist and songwriter Shemekia Copeland released Uncivil War on Alligator Records, a defining entry in her discography. But any listener seeking guitar wizardry would do no better than the wounded Heart so Heavy. Clearly, Fletcher wants us to feel every note and with the aid of his stunning technique, we do. It proves that, even when steeped in a century of tradition, the blues is as fresh as this mornings snow fall. When people think of good blues rock, names of famous bands like Led Zeppelin, Cream, the Allman Brothers Band, as well as solo blues artists like the English powerhouse Eric Clapton, and American greats Stevie Ray Vaughn and B.B. Song Starter Kit: Ghosts from The Fire Cosmic, Waiting for Your Love from The Fire Cosmic, John the Revelator from Island. So it doesnt take a Gypsy soothsayer to announce this new album by guitarist and vocalist John Primer & harmonica master Bob Corritore is a top notch effort. We might be preaching to the converted here, but shes one hell of a blues rock powerhouse.She learned her craft playing at pubs and clubs in the West Midlands before she was even old enough to order a cold pint after her set. Its a bold and beautiful set of rock music full of emotional honesty and tremendous performances by band members Alan Nimmo, Stevie Nimmo, Jonny Dyke, Zander Greenshields, and Andrew Scott. window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { With his long hair, beard and straight from the heart playing style, Broadbent is sonically and visually a little rugged around the edges.
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